Although you know better, you do not apply all that you have learned when it comes to making most of yourself. If this is true for you, then how are you going to improve?

Awareness is key. Until you spot what you are doing you will not know where to make changes to how you talk to people. How can you change what needs to be improved if you do not see it yourself?

There is a very simple way to generate awareness of how you behave with other people. A way to develop perspective that is not clouded by your biased perceptions.

Three Steps to Powerful Perspective:

1 Be a neutral observer

Choose a recent conversation you had which did not go as well as you would have liked. Next, pretend for a moment that you are a neutral observer of conversation. In your imagination go back in time to that incident and see yourself talking to that other person. Picture surroundings, hear sounds and feel atmosphere of place.

Then run through entire conversation again, only this time imagine that you are neutral observer. See yourself and other person talking and listening to each other and notice dynamics of conversation. Pay special attention to non verbal reactions.

Why do things hard way? It is far more lucrative to reward good customers by simply encouraging them to remain loyal to your business. The first step to achieving this; is to build a good database and stay in contact with your customers and potential customers.

Here are some no-cost/low-cost marketing tips that almost any business can use to add customers to a database and put dollars in bank.

One idea is to build your customer database by offering a prize draw. As an incentive, you could give away a product or a special discount.

If you are running a retail store or office, you could place a jar or fishbowl on counter or reception desk for business cards. Then at end of each week or month, draw a winner.

Some customers won't have a business card. So, it's a good idea to have a stock of plain cards on hand for those people. Use brightly colored cards as they will add to excitment and attract attention to fishbowl. A local printing company will probably have some free off-cuts to use.

Another idea applies to when you offer specials to your customers. Whenever possible, take a note of their name, phone number and/or email address. The following month you can make these people another offer as a reward for taking up original offer. You'll find you get a high percentage of successful sales.